I’m a dad, a husband, a personal trainer, and nutrition coach, a HEMAist in the Liechtenauer tradition, and a former fat kid that has lost and kept off 200lbs for over 9 years now.

I accomplished that through lots of trial and error, falling flat on my face, and continuing to pick myself back up and moving forward. I’m stubborn as all hell, and I don’t give up. That’s my superpower.

I rededicated myself to learn about the biomechanics of the human body, and it’s nutritional needs, and with that knowledge, reforged myself physically, mentally, and emotionally. And now, I can proudly say that I help others to do that as well. I was given a second chance at life, and I am not going to squander it.

When I’m not obsessing about swords, fitness, and nutrition, I enjoy craft beer, movies, traveling, and reading fiction (Heinlein and Vonnegut are my favorites). I still have a terrible fascination with Magic The Gathering. I am a recovering MMO and video game addict. Ask me about Ultima Online, Shadowbane, or World of Warcraft, and I’ll talk for hours.

I initially learned about HEMA when a friend of mine shared pictures from Broken Plow’s Blood on the River event, and I immediately jumped out of my seat screaming “WHY DID I NOT KNOW THIS WAS A THING THAT EXISTED?? AND IT WAS IN MY HOMETOWN OF PITTSBURGH?!?” I immediately signed up for the Intro to Common Fencing class at Broken Plow, and I have never looked back.

“How much can you know about yourself if you’ve never been in a fight? Yes, these are bruises from fighting. Yes, I’m comfortable with that. I am enlightened.” – Tyler Durden, Fight Club

The existence of HEMA and my gratitude toward being fortunate to be welcomed into it has awakened something stirring deep within me. It is a historical connection to my lineage and past, and because of that, it is a martial art that I am passionate about. It is a community, a family, an expanded social life. OH AND SWORDS!